Like claws. Panic made him spin back to face the djinn, for lack of otheralternatives.
He was changing to awolf!
Right before his owneyes.
Perhaps spells and sorcery had their uses, afterall.
“You said you could grant me a wish?” he asked. The djinn nodded. “Can you undo herspell?”
“Undo?” The djinn shook her head. “No one canundoanything. That is not theway.”
“Then you cannot helpme?”
The djinn sat up straight. “I did not say that,” she replied. “I will help you, despite your manner, because I think she was ungracious in cursing her liberator. We had hopes, you know, that time would cure her of her malicious tendencies, but it seems she has only become more vengeful.” The djinn fired a glance at Rolfe. “And I was always taught that there was no excuse for rudeness, under anycircumstance.”
Rolfe averted his gaze, for he knew his own manners had been decidedlylacking.
Even if there were extenuating circumstances. The wind riffled through his new tail as though to remind him of the precise nature of thosecircumstances.
“I do apologize,” he said. “I have never encountered a djinn before, much less two in rapidsuccession.”
“Of course not,” the djinn replied. “We are somewhat rare, although I have always been burdened with an inexplicable affection formortals.”
Rolfe did not miss her slight emphasis. He felt himself color and decided his charm had picked a poor time to desert him. “I apologize for my earlier manner...” he began, trying to make mattersright.
The djinn, however, seemed to have forgotten his presence. “Let me see...” she mused. She tapped one fingertip against her lips, clearlythinking.
Suddenly, Rolfe’s ears felt odd. He lifted one hand, hoping that he would not find what he feared, but fur greeted his touch. His ears were pointed and covered withfur.
The djinn did not appear to notice, and frustration filledRolfe.
Was he to be no more than a pawn in these djinns’ foolishgames?
What had he done to merit such afate?
“God’s wounds, woman!” Rolfe cried in his impatience. She jumped in a most satisfactory way. “Think if you must, but do it quickly! I will be all wolf before you aredone!”
The djinn’s gaze landed on him and her eyes widened in surprise. “How very quickly she works,” she murmured. She pursed her lips, looking all of six summers old as sheconcentrated.
“Powers above and powersbelow,
attend my words as neverbefo’e.
Cursed by day is enough topay...”
She hesitated and nibbled on her bottom lip as she clearly fought to make arhyme.
It said something about Rolfe’s fortune that the malicious djinn had possessed a greater gift withwords.
“Befo’e?” heechoed.
The djinn shot him a hostile glance. “Spells are not my greatest talent,” she informed him archly. She closed her eyes before Rolfe could respond. “Now, I have forgotten where I was.” She frowned, and he did not dare interruptagain.
“Alakazam, by night be aman.”
She nodded with satisfaction at her ownconclusion.
Rolfe caught hisbreath.
